Best Pub in Twickenham? Name it!

A sunny Easter weekend @ The White Swan

Face it. For the last few months you’ve been lying awake at night agonising over whether to mention a delicate issue that’s been bugging you day in, day out, day in, day out. Running around your head has been the same refrain, “When, when, WHEN?”. You ponder whether a cup of camomile tea or perhaps a large scotch will help you get back to sleep but it’s just no use. You can’t stop thinking about it. You just need an answer. You just need to KNOW. And so, at last, to answer that question, that all important question of, “When is that bloody twickerati site going to do an item on Twickenham’s best pub?” we can reveal to you that the answer is… NOW!


OK, perhaps you’ve not actually considered the question before or maybe, like a publication from the El Brute press office, you’re now trying to work out if there’s a hidden agenda here or if you read the text backwards it will reveal a satanic message from “Dark” Lord True in support of tougher parking regulations. We can assure you that there’s nothing so complicated or fanciful here. We’re simply asking the question: what’s the best pub in Twickenham?

Twickenham Spring: What’s On

Orleans House Gallery

Laziness + Computer Illiteracy = Absence of Listings. No listings. That’s the twickerati recipe for mediocre levels of success. But we also know that you like a listing. We know that you like a tip-top tip on what’s happening down ‘Nam way. And if the best local blog in Twickenham is not going to tell you what’s on, then who the hell is? OK, apart from Visit Richmond or one of the proper events sites that is? So why not just treat this item as an “homage” to the idea of a proper set of listings.

Twickenham Film Studios to Close

Twickenham Film Studios

Twickenham’s 99 year connection with the film industry is set to end as Twickenham Film Studios close. The studios, which are actually in St Margarets rather than Twickenham but hey, why let that spoil the story, have been placed into the hands of the administrators who’ve said there’s no hope of it continuing as a viable business in the film industry. The sale of the site for property development is expected and so perhaps we’ll see some highly exclusive “Twickenham Studios Apartments” in the not too distant future. Over the years the studios have been used for everything from early silent movies, through to Beatles films and more recently Little Voice, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows and War Horse. Twickenham Studios will be fondly remembered by many, but now their place will be in local and cinema history rather than as a going concern. A shame.

MORE DETAILS:
* Link to Telegraph Article
* Twickenham Film Studios

Insights into Twickenham History

Twickenham’s history is well documented in print (that’s kinda like books ‘n’ stuff, to the likes of you) and on the worthwhile web. There are plenty of photos too. Google’s just great isn’t it? Needless to say lots of that history features 30 grown men charging around Billy Williams’ cabbage patch in pursuit of a wonky ball, but aside from the rugby and the more general histories of the town there are other interesting bits and pieces to be found. For your edification, we’ve dug up a sample of things that you might not stumble across every day. And please, do the decent thing, and add any other useful links below especially if it’s old video or social history.

Here we go with our selection of links:
* The BBC history site has some interesting accounts of Twickenham during World War II from those who experienced it first hand. Fascinating stories which often mix the every day with the extraordinary.

* 1931 Trolley Bus. This YouTube video features the trolley bus route from Twickenham to Teddington in 1931. It’s a nice slice of history caught on film. If living the dream for you means catching the 281 bus, then this is a must for you!

* King of Portugal in Twickenham. Ever wondered why those roads off Staines Road have a Portuguese vibe? No? Well, if you had wondered then this explains it. “Exiled Portuguese King Hangs Out Twick-side” summarises it quite well but you can watch the video. We’re talking c1913 through to the early 1930s here. (Thanks to the Standard Tandoori for drawing our attention to this (yes, you read that correctly) and there’s more on the Portugal connection on the Twickenham Museum site.)

* Children’s Regatta at Twickenham in 1935. A little preview clip from the British Pathe news website. It also has the same event from other years. It was obviously quite a big thing in its day.

* Landing the Eel Pie at Twickenham. Another British Pathe clip, this time from 1923 and a re-enactment of what looks to be Henry VIII about to tuck into some eel pie. To be fair, in the end he opts for a swig of beer over the pie. Who wouldn’t?

* Between The Locks. More vids. They’re not old, they’re new but they do talk about the past. It’s a recent project run by the Environment Trust to record an oral history of the Thames between Teddington and Richmond locks. Interesting.

* Strawberry Hill House more your thing is it? Like a big house do you? Try this then. A history of the house and its recent restoration.

There are also some interesting local history articles on the St Margarets website. Here are two:

* A German bombing raid in 1918.

* Major flooding on the Thames in 1928

So there you go, just a few bits and pieces to make you realise that even if you’ve lived your whole life in Twickenham, you’re just passing through. Any more for any more?

GENERAL LINKS:
* Twickenham Museum
* Borough of Twickenham Local History Society
* Memories of Twickenham Riverside seeks your memories of days gone by
* British History Online – Twickenham
* The British Library has digitised hundreds of old national and local newspapers (fees payable)
* The internet…

Valentine’s Day Pic

Sometimes in life you have to make sacrifices. This ageing Twickenham snowman just made the ultimate sacrifice…. for love. (Also looks a bit like a rather pale ET if we’re honest)

School Plan Setback for Council?

Having covered the great school debate only recently, we didn’t expect to return to it so soon. Honest, guv! But this latest twist in the story makes interesting reading. Those eagle eyed folks at the Richmond Inclusive Schools Campaign (RISC) have spotted that Richmond Council may not have done its homework properly in its consultation over Voluntary Aided Roman Catholic secondary and primary schools in Twickenham.

Under the transitional arrangements of the Education Act 2011, the Act’s new rules (which favour academies and free schools) apply if a Council needs a new school except where formal proposals for voluntary aided schools were published before 1st February. So far, whatever. But here’s the interesting bit…

High Street Update

If, as they say, brevity is the soul of wit then this High Street Update is for you. It’s certainly brief, so let’s just hope you bloody love it. But first a question, if sarcasm is the lowest form of wit (and whoever said that must be really, really pleased with their absolutely massive contribution to the world) then what’s the highest form? What is the highest form of wit? We’ll tell you. It’s repetition. No doubt about it. It’s repetition. No doubt about it.

Church Street has gone all flag-tastic in the run up to Valentine’s Day. There are offers going on in the shops and money being raised for charity. Don’t let the cold weather put you off, after all, you know that desperately rushing around to find a gift on the afternoon of February 13th is the mark of true love. Try not to leave it so late this year, get yourself down there at the week end.

Jojoloo, Twickenham

So then, let’s get to the rest of it. Lots of things are almost ready to heighten your High Street experience. Jojoloo Coffee Shop and ‘mini super’ is almost open on Heath Road. There’s activity going on inside but then again there’s been activity going on behind those whited out windows for a wee while. (Yes, you get the alliteration free here). Round the corner, in case you’re running low on coffee or tea between say, Caffe Nero or Bellissimo and, say, Cafe Taste or Puccino’s at the station then Lulu’z tea room, cafe and patisserie could be for you. It’s set to occupy what was once the Twickenham Chinese Restaurant on London Road. You’re probably familiar with the location from being in the police station. Good luck to them. And there are still signs of work going on next door to Lulu’z in the ex-Forever hairdresser which, one avid reader told us, may well be set to become…. a hairdresser. Hooray. Or should that be “hair-ray”? (Update: It’s called Hair Institute)

The Cabbage Patch

The Cabbage Patch will re-open on 10th February after its refurb and paint job. It was probably overdue for a spot of tarting up given that quite a number of the competition have had recent makeovers (The Fox, The Three Kings, The Sussex and, a little longer ago, The Royal Oak). The completion of the work fits in nicely with the upcoming rugby internationals as, perhaps unsurprisingly, the new look has a rugby theme to it.

And that’s about it. Both Casa Mia, which only opened a few months ago, and Chanterelle on Whitton Road are still looking pretty much shut (unless someone has evidence to the contrary) but Da Vinci on Heath Road continues make a go of it. Reviews for Da Vinci have generally been favourable even if pizza purists are horrified by the concept of pineapple on a pizza. Eh? You mean the Hawaiian pizza idea is not authentically Italian? Come on! You’ll be saying chicken tikka massala isn’t even Indian next.

[Earlier High Street Updates can be accessed via the Category Index on the right hand menu]

Pic of the Week: The Brief Freeze

Slush on the just about frozen River Crane at Kneller Gardens in Twickenham.

Catholic School Consultation (now with added science)

Clifden Road Site, Twickenham

[UPDATE: If you want to express interest in the proposals for a new community secondary then you need to do it by 24th. It does not involve a commitment. See end of item for links.]

Well, Richmond Council said they’d consult on their intention to establish a Voluntary Aided Roman Catholic secondary school in the Borough and now they are. After the petition wars and great Council chamber debates of 2011, and not forgetting the gangs of placard waving supporters (of both sides) outside York House, the next step in the process is finally underway. But just like an episode of the classic cartoon series Wacky Races we’ve got a late entrant appearing out of nowhere just as we approach the finish line.

How well do you know Twickenham?

Snapped by our roving photographer, can you name where this photo was taken? There’s no prize now, just your chance to feel a little bit smug and a little bit sad for knowing your white walls. But we might even run a little competition along these lines with some actual prizes (only if we can get some free stuff to give away and can be bothered to do it, of course). In other words, it’s unlikely.